No More Learning

«Stand abacke! stand abacke! ” sayd Robin;
«Why draw you mee soe neere?
It was never the use in our countrye
One's shrift another should heere. »
55.
But Robin pulled forth an Irysh kniffe,
And losed John hand and foote,
And gave him Sir Guye's bow in his hand,
And bade it be his boote.
56. But John tooke Guye's bow in his hand
(His arrowes were rawstye? by the roote);
The sherriffe saw Litle John draw a bow
And fettle him to shoote.
57. Towards his house in Nottingham
He fled full fast away,
i Voice.
2 Rusty


## p. 1319 (#109) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1319
And so did all his companye,
Not one behind did stay.
58. But he cold neither soe fast goe,
Nor away soe fast runn,
But Litle John, with an arrow broade,
Did cleave his heart in twinn.
THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT
[This is the older and better version of the famous ballad. The younger
version was the subject of Addison's papers in the Spectator. ]
I.
THE
HE Percy out of Northumberlande,
and a vowe to God mayd he
That he would hunte in the mountayns
of Cheviot within days thre,
In the magger' of doughty Douglas,
and all that ever with him be.
2.
The fattiste hartes in all Cheviot
he sayd he would kyll, and cary them away:
«Be my feth,” sayd the doughty Douglas agayn,
“I will let? that hontyng if that I may. ”
3. Then the Percy out of Banborowe cam,
with him a myghtee meany,
With fifteen hondred archares bold of blood and bone;
they were chosen out of shyars thre.
4. This began on a Monday at morn,
in Cheviot the hillys so he;
The chyld may rue that ys unborn,
it was the more pittë.
5. The dryvars thorowe the woodës went,
for to reas the deer;
Bowmen byckarte uppone the bent*
with their browd arrows cleare.
6. Then the wyld thorowe the woodës went,
on every sydë shear;
Greahondës thorowe the grevis glent,5
for to kyll their deer.
7. This begane in Cheviot the hyls abone,
yerly on a Monnyn-day:
1 (Maugre, in spite of. ? Hinder. 3 Company.
*Skirmished on the field. 5 Ran through the groves.


## p. 1320 (#110) ###########################################

1320
THE BALLAD
Be that it drewe to the hour of noon,
a hondred fat hartës ded ther lay.
8. They blewe a mort? uppone the bent,
they semblyde on sydis shear;
To the quyrry then the Percy went,
to see the bryttlynge? of the deere.
9. He sayd, “It was the Douglas promys
this day to met me hear;
But I wyste he wolde faylle, verament;"
a great oth the Percy swear.
IO.
At the laste a squyar of Northumberlande
lokyde at his hand full ny;
He was war a the doughtie Douglas commynge,
with him a myghtë meany.
II.
Both with spear, bylle, and brande,
yt was a myghtë sight to se;
Hardyar men, both of hart nor hande,
were not in Cristiantë.
12.
They were twenty hondred spear-men good,
withoute any fail;
They were borne along be the water a Twyde,
yth bowndës of Tividale.
13. “Leave of the brytlyng of the deer,” he said,
«and to your bows look ye tayk good hede;
For never sithe ye were on your mothers borne
had ye never so mickle nede. ”
14.
The doughty Douglas on a stede,
he rode alle his men beforne;
His armor glytteyrde as dyd a glede;'
a boldar barne was never born.
15. «Tell me whose men ye are,” he says,
(or whose men that ye be:
Who gave youe leave to hunte in this Cheviot chays,
in the spyt of myn and of me. ”
16. The first man that ever him an answer mayd,
yt was the good lord Percy:
“We wyll not tell the whose men we are,” he says,
(nor whose men that we be;
1 Blast blown when game is killed.
? Quartering, cutting.
3 Flame.


## p. 1321 (#111) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1321
But we wyll hounte here in this chays,
in spyt of thyne and of the.
17.
« The fattiste hartës in all Cheviot
we have kyld, and cast to carry them away:
Be my troth,” sayd the doughty Douglas agayn,
“therefor the tone of us shall die this day. ”
18.
Then sayd the doughtë Douglas
unto the lord Percy,
« To kyll alle thes giltles men,
alas, it wear great pittë!
19. “But, Percy, thowe art a lord of lande,
I am a yerle callyd within my contrë;
Let all our men uppone a parti stande,
and do the battell of the and of me. ”
20.
“Nowe Cristes curse on his crowne," sayd the lord!
Percy,
« whosoever thereto says nay;
Be my troth, doughty Douglas," he says,
thow shalt never se that day.
21.
“Nethar in Ynglonde, Skottlonde, nor France,
nor for no man of a woman born,
But, and fortune be my chance,
I dar met him, one man for one. ”
22.
Then bespayke a squyar of Northumberlande,
Richard Wytharyngton was his name:
« It shall never be told in Sothe-Ynglonde,” he says,
“To Kyng Herry the Fourth for shame.
23. “I wat youe byn great lordës twa,
I am a poor squyar of lande:
I wylle never se my captayne fyght on a fylde,
and stande my selffe and looke on,
But whylle I may my weppone welde,
I wylle not fayle both hart and hande. )
24. That day, that day, that dredfull day!
the first fit here I fynde;?
And you wyll hear any more a the hountyng a the
Cheviot
yet ys ther mor behynde.
Perhaps “finish. »


## p. 1322 (#112) ###########################################

1322
THE BALLAD
25.
The Yngglyshe men had their bowys ybent,
ther hartes were good yenoughe;
The first of arrows that they shote off,
seven skore spear-men they sloughe.
26. Yet bides the yerle Douglas upon the bent,
a captayne good yenoughe,
And that was sene verament,
for he wrought hem both wo and wouche.
27. The Douglas partyd his host in thre,
like a chief chieftain of pryde;
With sure spears of myghtty tre,
they cum in on every syde:
28. Throughe our Yngglyshe archery
gave many a wounde fulle wyde;
Many a doughty they garde to dy,
which ganyde them no pryde.
29.
The Ynglyshe men let ther bowës be,
and pulde out brandes that were brighte;
It was a heavy syght to se
bryght swordes on basnites lyght.
1
30.
Thorowe ryche male and myneyeple,
many sterne they strocke down straight;
Many a freyke? that was fulle fre,
there under foot dyd lyght.
31.
At last the Douglas and the Percy met,
lyk to captayns of myght and of mayne;
The swapte together tylle they both swat,
with swordes that were of fine milan.
32. These worthy freckys for to fyght,
ther-to they were fulle fayne,
Tylle the bloode out off their basnetes sprente,
as ever dyd hail or rayn.
33.
« Yield thee, Percy,” sayd the Douglas,
(and i faith I shalle thee brynge
Where thowe shalte have a yerls wagis
of Jamy our Scottish kynge.
34. “Thou shalte have thy ransom fre,
I hights the here this thinge;
«A gauntlet covering hand and forearm. ) 2 Man. 3Promise.


## p. 1323 (#113) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1323
For the manfullyste man yet art thow
that ever I conqueryd in fielde fighttynge. ”
35. "Nay,” sayd the lord Percy,
«I tolde it thee beforne,
That I wolde never yeldyde be
to no man of a woman born. ”
36. With that ther came an arrow hastely,
forthe off a myghtty wane;1
It hath strekene the yerle Douglas
in at the brest-bane.
37. Thorowe lyvar and lungës bothe
the sharpe arrowe ys gane,
That never after in all his lyfe-days
he spayke mo wordës but ane:
That was, “Fyghte ye, my myrry men, whyllys ye
may,
for my lyfe-days ben gane. ”
The Percy leanyde on his brande,
and sawe the Douglas de;
He tooke the dead man by the hande,
and said, “Wo ys me for thee!
38.
39. "To have savyde thy lyfe, I would have partyde
with
my landes for years three,
For a better man, of hart nor of hande,
was not in all the north contrë. ”
40.
Of all that see a Scottish knyght,
was callyd Sir Hewe the Monggombyrry;
He saw the Douglas to the death was dyght,
he spendyd a spear, a trusti tree.
He rode upon a corsiare
throughe a hondred archery:
He never stynttyde nor never blane, a
till he came to the good lord Percy.
41.
42.
He set upon the lorde Percy
a dynte that was full sore;
With a sure spear of a myghttë tree
clean thorow the body he the Percy ber,'
43. A the tother syde that a man might see
a large cloth-yard and mare:
Meaning uncertain. 2 Stopped. 3Pierced.


## p. 1324 (#114) ###########################################

1324
THE BALLAD
Two better captayns were not in Cristiantë
than that day slain were there.
44.
An archer off Northumberlande
saw slain was the lord Percy;
He bore a bende bowe in his hand,
was made of trusti tree;
45.
An arrow, that a cloth-yarde was long,
to the harde stele halyde he;
A dynt that was both sad and soar
he set on Sir Hewe the Monggombyrry.
46. The dynt yt was both sad and sore,
that he of Monggombyrry set;
The swane-fethars that his arrowe bar
with his hart-blood they were wet.
47.
There was never a freak one foot wolde flee,
but still in stouri dyd stand,
Hewyng on eache other, whyle they myghte dree,
with many a balefull brande.
48. This battell begane in Cheviot
an hour before the none,
And when even-songe bell was rang,
the battell was not half done.
.
•
49. They took
on either hande
by the lyght of the mone;
Many hade no strength for to stande,
in Cheviot the hillys abon.
50.
Of fifteen hundred archers of Ynglonde
went away but seventy and three;
Of twenty hundred spear-men of Scotlonde,
but even five and fifty.
51. But all were slayne Cheviot within;
they had no strength to stand on hy;
The chylde may rue that ys unborne,
it was the more pittë.
52. There was slayne, withe the lord Percy,
Sir John of Agerstone,
Sir Rogar, the hinde Hartly,
Sir Wyllyam, the bold Hearone.
I Stress of battle.


## p. 1325 (#115) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1325
53. Sir George, the worthy Loumle,
a knyghte of great renown,
Sir Raff, the ryche Rugbe,
with dyntes were beaten downe.
54.
For Wetharryngton my harte was wo,
that ever he slayne shulde be;
For when both his leggis were hewyn in to,
yet he kneeled and fought on hys knee.
55.
There was slayne, with the doughty Douglas,
Sir Hewe the Monggombyrry,
Sir Davy Lwdale, that worthy was,
his sister's son was he.
56. Sir Charles a Murrë in that place,
that never a foot wolde fle;
Sir Hewe Maxwelle, a lorde he was,
with the Douglas dyd he die.
57.
So on the morrowe they mayde them biers
off birch and hasell so gray;
Many widows, with weepyng tears,
came to fetch ther makys' away.
58. Tivydale may carpe of care,
Northumberland may mayk great moan,
For two such captayns as slayne were there,
on the March-parti shall never be none.
59. Word ys commen to Eddenburrowe,
to Jamy the Scottische kynge,
That doughty Douglas, lyff-tenant of the Marches,
he lay slean Cheviot within.
60. His handdës dyd he weal and wryng,
he sayd, “Alas, and woe ys me!
Such an othar captayn Skotland within,"
he sayd, “i-faith should never be. ”
61. Worde ys commyn to lovely Londone,
till the fourth Harry our kynge.
That lord Percy, leyff-tenante of the Marchis
he lay slayne Cheviot within.
62. «God have merci on his soule,” sayde Kyng Harry,
"good lord, yf thy will it be!
1 Mates.


## p. 1326 (#116) ###########################################

1326
THE BALLAD
I have a hondred captayns in Ynglonde,” he sayd,
as good as ever was he:
But Percy. and I brook my lyfe,
thy deth well quyte shall be. ”
63. As our noble kynge mayd his avowe,
lyke a noble prince of renown,
For the deth of the lord Percy
he dyd the battle of Hombyll-down;
64. Where syx and thirty Skottishe knyghtes
on a day were beaten down:
Glendale glytteryde on their armor bryght,
over castille, towar, and town.
65. This was the hontynge of the Cheviot,
that teari begane this spurn;
Old men that knowen the grownde well enoughe
call it the battell of Otterburn.
66. At Otterburn begane this spurne
upon a Monnynday:
There was the doughty Douglas slean,
the Percy never went away.
67. There was never a tyme on the Marche-partës
sen the Douglas and the Percy met,
But yt ys mervele and the rede blude ronne not,
as the rain does in the stret.
68. Jesus Christ our balës? bete,
and to the bliss us bring!
Thus was the hunting of the Cheviot;
God send us alle good ending!
JOHNIE COCK
1.
U
P JOHNIE raise' in a May morning,
Calld for water to wash his hands,
And he has called for his gude gray hounds
That lay bound in iron bands, bands,
That lay bound in iron bands.
2.
“Ye'll busk,“ ye'll busk my noble dogs,
Ye'll busk and make them boun,"
That there (? ). ? Evils. 3 Rose. “Prepare. "Ready.


## p.
1327 (#117) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1327
For I'm going to the Braidscaur hill
To ding the dun deer doun. ”
3. Johnie's mother has gotten word o' that,
And care-bed she has ta'en:
“O Johnie, for my benison,
I beg you'l stay at hame;
For the wine so red, and the well-baken bread,
My Johnie shall want nane.
4.
« There are seven forsters at Pickeram Side,
At Pickeram where they dwell,
And for a drop of thy heart's bluid
They wad ride the fords of hell. ”
5. But Johnie has cast off the black velvet,
And put on the Lincoln twine,
And he is on the goode greenwood
As fast as he could gang.
6. Johnie lookit east, and Johnie lookit west,
And he lookit aneath the sun,
And there he spied the dun deer sleeping
Aneath a buss o' whun. ?
7. Johnie shot, and the dun deer lap,3
And she lap wondrous wide,
Until they came to the wan water,
And he stem'd her of her pride.
8.
He has ta'en out the little pen-knife,
'Twas full three quarters long,
And he has ta'en out of that dun deer
The liver but and the tongue.
9. They eat of the flesh, and they drank of the blood,
And the blood it was so sweet,
Which caused Johnie and his bloody hounds
To fall in a deep sleep.
IO.
By then came an old palmer,
And an ill death may he die!
For he's away to Pickeram Side
As fast as he can drie. 6
1 Has fallen ill with anxiety.
? Bush of whin, furze.
3 Leaped.
* Quarter - the fourth part of a yard.
5 « But and » as well as,
• Bear, endure.
6


## p. 1328 (#118) ###########################################

1328
THE BALLAD
11.
«What news, what news? ” says the Seven Forsters,
“What news have ye brought to me ? ”
“I have no news,” the palmer said,
« But what I saw with my eye.
I 2.
“As I came in by Braidisbanks,
And down among the whuns,
The bonniest youngster e'er I saw
Lay sleepin amang his hunds.
13.
« The shirt that was upon his back
Was o' the holland fine;
The doublet which was over that
Was o' the Lincoln twine. "
14. Up bespake the Seven Forsters,
Up bespake they ane and a':
“O that is Johnie o' Cockleys Well,
And near him we will draw. ”
15. O the first stroke that they gae him,
They struck him off by the knee;
Then up bespake his sister's son:
“O the next 'll gar' him die! ”
16.
“O some they count ye well wight men,
But I do count ye nane;
For you might well ha' waken'd me,
And ask'd gin I wad be ta'en.
17.
« The wildest wolf as in a' this wood
Wad not ha' done so by me;
She'd ha' wet her foot i' the wan water,
And sprinkled it o'er my brae,
And if that wad not ha' waken'd ine,
She wad ha' gone and let me be.
18. “O bows of yew, if ye be true,
In London, where ye were bought,
Fingers five, get up belive,?
Manhuid shall fail me nought. ”
19. He has kill'd the Seven Forsters,
He has kill'd them all but ane,
And that wan scarce to Pickeram Side,
To carry the bode-words hame.
Make, cause.
? Quickly.


## p. 1329 (#119) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1329
20.
“Is there never a [bird) in a' this wood
That will tell what I can say;
That will go to Cockleys Well,
Tell my mither to fetch me away? ”
There was a [bird] into that wood,
That carried the tidings away,
And many ael was the well-wight man
At the fetching o' Johnie away.
21.
SIR PATRICK SPENS
I.
Tthe :
He king sits in Dumferling toune,
Drinking the blude-reid wine:
“O whar will I get guid sailor,
To sail this ship of mine ? ”
2. Up and spak an eldern knight,
Sat at the kings right kne:
«Sir Patrick Spens is the best sailor,
That sails upon the sea. ”
3. The king has written a braid letter,”
And sign'd it wi' his hand,
And sent it to Sir Patrick Spens,
Was walking on the sand.
The first line that Sir Patrick read,
A loud laugh laughed he;
The next line that Sir Patrick read,
The tear blinded his ee.
5.
« O wha is this has done this deed,
This ill deed done to me,
To send me out this time o' the year,
To sail upon the sea!
6. “Make haste, make haste, my mirry men all,
Our guide ship sails the morne :)
“O say na sae, my master dear,
For I fear a deadlie storme.
7.
“Late, late yestreen I saw the new moone,
Wi' the auld moone in hir arme,
i One.
2 «A braid letter, open or patent, in opposition to close rolls. ” — Percy.
3 Note that it is the sight of the new moon late in the evening which
makes a bad omen.
III-84


## p. 1330 (#120) ###########################################

1330
THE BALLAD
And I fear, I fear, my dear master,
That we will come to harme. ”
8.
9.
O our Scots nobles were right laith
To weet their cork-heeled shoone;
But lang owre a' the play wer play'd,
Their hats they swam aboone.
O lang, lang may their ladies sit,
W' their fans into their hand,
Or e'er they see Sir Patrick Spens
Cum sailing to the land.
O lang, lang may the ladies stand,
Wi’ their gold kems? in their hair,
Waiting for their ain dear lords,
For they'll se thame na mair.
Half owre, half owre to Aberdour,
It's fiftie fadom deep,
And their lies guid Sir Patrick Spens,
Wi' the Scots lords at his feet.
10.
II.
THE BONNY EARL OF MURRAY?
1.
Y®
E HIGHLANDS, and ye Lawlands,
Oh where have you been?
They have slain the Earl of Murray,
And they layd him on the green.
"Now wae be to thee, Huntly!
And wherefore did you sae ?
I bade you bring him wi' you,
But forbade you him to slay. ”
2.
3. He was a braw gallant,
And he rid at the ring;3
And the bonny Earl of Murray,
Oh he might have been a king!
4. He was a braw gallant,
And he play'd at the ba';
And the bonny Earl of Murray
Was the flower amang them a'.
1 Combs.
James Stewart, Earl of Murray, was killed by the Earl of Huntly's fol-
lowers, February, 1592. The second stanza is spoken, of course, by the King.
Piercing with the lance a suspended ring, as one rode at full speed, was
a favorite sport of the day.
2
3


## p. 1331 (#121) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1331
5.
He was a braw gallant,
And he play'd at the glove;?
And the bonny Earl of Murray,
Oh he was the Queen's love!
Oh lang will his lady
Look o'er the Castle Down,
E'er she see the Earl of Murray
Come sounding thro the town!
6.
MARY HAMILTON
1.
WORD
2.
ORD's gane to the kitchen,
And word's gane to the ha',
That Marie Hamilton has born a bairn
To the highest Stewart of a'.
She's tyed it in her apron
And she's thrown it in the sea;
Says, Sink ye, swim ye, bonny wee babe,
You'll ne'er get mair o' me. ”
Down then cam the auld Queen,
Goud ? tassels tying her hair:
“O Marie, where's the bonny wee babe
That I heard greet' sae sair ? ”
« There was never a babe intill my room,
As little designs to be;
It was but a touch o' my sair side,
Came o'er my fair bodie. ”
3.
4.
5.
"O Marie, put on your robes o' black,
Or else your robes o’ brown,
For ye maun gang wi' me the night,
To see fair Edinbro town. ”
6. "I winna put on my robes o' black,
Nor yet my robes o’ brown;
But I'll put on my robes o' white,
To shine through Edinbro town. ”
7.
When she gaed up the Cannogate,
She laugh'd loud laughters three;
But when she cam down the Cannogate
The tear blinded her ee.
1 Probably this reference is to the glove worn by knights as a lady's favor.
2 Gold.
3 Weep.


## p. 1332 (#122) ###########################################

1332
THE BALLAD
8.
When she gaed up the Parliament stair,
The heel cam aff her shee;?
And lang or she cam down again
She was condemn'd to dee.
9.
When she cam down the Cannogate,
The Cannogate sae free,
Many a ladie look'd o'er her window,
Weeping for this ladie.
10.
«Make never meen? for me,” she says,
Make never meen for me;
Seek never grace frae a graceless face,
For that ye'll never see.
II.
“Bring me a bottle of wine,” she says,
« The best that e'er ye hae,
That I may drink to my weil-wishers,
And they may drink to me.
12.
“And here's to the jolly sailor lad
That sails upon the faem;
But let not my father nor mother get wit
But that I shall come again.
13.
“And here's to the jolly sailor lad
That sails upon the sea;
But let not my father nor mother get wit
O' the death that I maun dee.
14.
“Oh little did my mother think,
The day she cradled me,
What lands I was to travel through,
What death I was to dee.
15.
“Oh little did my father think,
The day he held up' me,
What lands I was to travel through,
What death I was to dee.
16. "Last night I wash'd the Queen's feet,
And gently laid her down;
And a' the thanks I've gotten the nicht
To be hangd in Edinbro town!
i Shoe.
2 Moan.
Held up, lifted up, recognized as his lawful child, - a world-wide and
ancient ceremony.


## p. 1333 (#123) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1333
17.
“Last nicht there was four Maries,
The nicht there'll be but three;
There was Marie Seton, and Marie Beton,
And Marie Carmichael, and me. ”
BONNIE GEORGE CAMPBELL
I.
HP
IGH upon Highlands,
and low upon Tay,
Bonnie George Campbell
rade out on a day.
2.
Saddled and bridled
and gallant rade he;
Hame cam his guid horse,
but never cam he.
3. Out cam his auld mither
greeting fu' sair,
And out cam his bonnie bride
riving her hair.
4. Saddled and bridled
and booted rade he;
Toomi hame cam the saddle,
but never came he.
5. “My meadow lies green,
and my corn is unshorn,
My barn is to build,
and my babe is unborn. "
6. Saddled and bridled
and booted rade he;
Toom hame cam the saddle,
but never cam he.
1 Empty.


## p. 1334 (#124) ###########################################

1334
THE BALLAD
BESSIE BELL AND MARY GRAYI
1.
O
BESSIE BELL and Mary Gray,
They war twa bonnie lasses!
They biggit? a bower on yon burn-brae,'
And theekit + it oer wi rashes.
2.
They theekit it oer wi' rashes green,
They theekit it oer wi' heather:
But the pest cam frae the burrows-town,
And slew them baith thegither.
3. They thought to lie in Methven kirk-yard
Amang their noble kin;
But they maun lye in Stronach haugh,
To biek forenent the sin. 5
4. And Bessie Bell and Mary Gray,
They war twa bonnie lasses;
They biggit a bower on yon burn-brae,
And theekit it oer wi'rashes.
THE THREE RAVENS 6
1.
THER
HERE were three ravens sat on a tree,
Downe a downe, hay down, hay downe,?
There were three ravens sat on a tree,
With a downe,
There were three ravens sat on a tree,
They were as blacke as they might be.
With a downe derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe.
2.
The one of them said to his mate,
« Where shall we our breakfast take ? »
3.
Downe in yonder greene field
There lies a knight slain under his shield.
· Founded on an actual event of the plague, near Perth, in 1645. See the
interesting account in Professor Child's Ballads, Part vil. , p. 75f.
2 Built.
3 A hill sloping down to a brook.
4 Thatched.
6 To bake in the rays of the sun.
6 The counterpart, or perhaps parody, of this ballad, called “The Twa
Corbies,' is better known than the exquisite original.
* The refrain, or burden, differs in another version of the ballad.


## p. 1335 (#125) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1335
4.
His hounds they lie down at his feete,
So well they can their master keepe. '
5.
His haukes they fie so eagerly,
There's no fowle dare him come nie. ”
6. Downe there comes a fallow doe,
As great with young as she might goe.
7. She lift up his bloudy head,
And kist his wounds that were so red.
8.